Senate debates

Thursday, 16 August 2018

Rearrangement(8 speeches) by leave—I move: That business of the Senate notices of motion Nos 1 to 5, standing in the names of Senators Pratt and Whish-Wilson for today, be called on immediately, dealt with together...

Selection of Bills Committee; Report(1 speech) I present the eighth report of 2018 of the Selection of Bills Committee. I seek leave to have the report incorporated in Hansard. Leave granted. The report read as follows— SELECTION OF...

Consideration of Legislation(1 speech) I move: That— (a) government business orders of the day as shown on today's order of business be considered from 12.45 pm today; and (b) government business be called on after consideration...

Rearrangement(1 speech) I move: That the order of general business for consideration today be as follows: (a) general business notices of motion: no. 968 standing in the name of Senator Hinch relating to Pure Compound...

Tasmania: Media(1 speech) I seek leave to add the names of Senators Abetz, Bushby, Colbeck, Martin, Brown, Urquhart, Singh, Bilyk, Whish-Wilson and McKim to the motion. Leave granted. I, and also on behalf of Senators...

State of Origin(1 speech) I, and also on behalf of Senators O'Neill, Payne, McAllister, Molan, Cameron, Fierravanti-Wells, Williams, Leyonhjelm and Burston, move: That the Senate congratulates the New South Wales' (NSW)...

National Allergy Strategy(4 speeches) I move: That the Senate: (a) notes that today, 4 million Australians, or almost 20 per cent of the population, are living with allergy and allergic diseases; (b) recognises that over the last 20...

Superannuation(4 speeches) I move: That the Senate: (a) notes that the draft report of the Productivity Commission, assessing the efficiency and competitiveness of superannuation, concluded that Australian Prudential...

Medical Board of Australia(4 speeches) I move: That the Senate: (a) notes that the Medical Board of Australia has proposed a new code of conduct that arguably curtails the free speech of doctors; (b) further notes that the Australian...

Migration(17 speeches) I move: That the Senate: (a) notes the growing concerns around Australia of the sustained historically high levels of immigration to Australia; and (b) calls upon the Australian Government to...

Donations to Political Parties(11 speeches) I move: That the Senate: (a) notes: (i) the growing prominence of business events that enable direct and private access to senior members of Parliament, such as the Australian Labor...

Migration(8 speeches) I move: That the Senate: (a) notes that the New York Declaration for Refugees and Migrants enables the United Nations General Assembly to work towards a global compact for migration, including an...

Consideration of Legislation(11 speeches) I move: That, if by 13 September 2018: (a) the government business order of the day relating to the consideration of the National Broadcasters Legislation Amendment (Enhanced Transparency) Bill...

Parliamentary Behaviour(8 speeches) I move: That the Senate— (a) notes that over recent times, the Senate has witnessed: (i) Senator Hanson wear a burqa in the Senate chamber, with the purpose to ridicule a...

Newstart(11 speeches) I move: That the Senate: (a) acknowledges the release of the Australian Council of Social Service and UNSW Sydney report, Inequality in Australia 2018; (b) recognises that the report found that...

Free Speech(7 speeches) I move: That the Senate: (a) notes: (i) that the Australian Defence Force has recently drawn headlines following an indication it could end the use of gender-specific pronouns, and...

Road Safety(5 speeches) At the request of Senator Sterle, I move: That the Senate: (a) notes that: (i) since recordkeeping commenced in 1925, there have been over 190 000 deaths on Australia's roads,...

Rearrangement(1 speech) I move: That government business order of the day No. 14 (Treasury Laws Amendment (2018 Measures No. 3) Bill 2018) be postponed till the next day of sitting. Question agreed to.

Energy(15 speeches) My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Cormann. I refer to the article in this morning's Australian entitled 'NEG rebels try to force walkouts'. Can the minister...

Employment(9 speeches) My question is to the Minister for Jobs and Innovation, Senator Cash. Can the minister update the Senate on the latest labour force figures released today? Senator Cameron interjecting—...

(1 speech) Before I call Senator Marshall, I draw to the attention of honourable senators the presence in the gallery of the Rt Hon. The Baroness Caroline Cox, of Queensbury. On behalf of all senators, I...

Energy(12 speeches) My question is to the Minister for Resources and Northern Australia, Senator Canavan. On Friday the minister joined the Minister for the Environment and Energy in attempting to persuade state and...

People with Disability(8 speeches) My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Social Services, Senator Fierravanti-Wells. Data from the National Disability Abuse and Neglect Hotline has recently been published,...

Minister for Jobs and Innovation(33 speeches) My question is to the Minister for Jobs and Innovation, Senator Cash. Earlier today the minister said in relation to the Australian Federal Police investigation: 'You would also know that I am...

National Competition Council(5 speeches) My question is to the Minister representing the Treasurer, Senator Cormann. I raise my concern that the only employee of the National Competition Council is a secondee from the ACCC. Isn't it the...

Indigenous Business(10 speeches) ) ( ): My question is to Senator Scullion, the Minister for Indigenous Affairs, who, as a senator like me, represents many Indigenous people in his electorate, in their traditional areas. I ask...

Murray-Darling Basin(8 speeches) My question is directed to the Minister representing the Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources. South Australians deserve reliable information about the sustainability of the...

Indigenous Affairs(14 speeches) My question is to the Minister for Indigenous Affairs, Senator Scullion. On 12 February, in answer to a question I asked on funding for remote housing, the minister said, 'We're certainly not...

Sport(8 speeches) My question is to the Minister for Sport, Senator McKenzie. I'm sure Senator Farrell will be very excited about this one. The coalition government has recently released Australia's first ever...

Great Barrier Reef Foundation(8 speeches) My question is to the Minister for Jobs and Innovation, Senator Cash. In an article in this morning's Australian, entitled 'CSIRO slams grant to reef foundation', it is revealed that CSIRO has...

Child Care(8 speeches) My question is to the Minister for Education and Training, Senator Birmingham. Would the minister advise the Senate as to how the Turnbull government's new childcare package has been supporting...

Great Barrier Reef Foundation(27 speeches) My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Cormann. In Senate estimates the department of environment officials gave evidence that 'the quality of the people on the...

Centrelink(1 speech) I wish to add to remarks I made in question time yesterday in response to a question from Senator Siewert regarding debt recovery to people with a vulnerability indicator who are receiving income...

People with Disability(4 speeches) I have further information to add to my answer to a question from Senator Steele-John earlier today in question time. The government does not believe that an expensive and lengthy royal...

Energy(4 speeches) I move: That the Senate take note of the answers given by the Minister for Finance (Senator Cormann) and the Minister for Resources and Northern Australia (Senator Canavan) to questions without...

Marine Parks Network Management Plans; Disallowance(20 speeches) What I was saying before we ran out of time during the last debate was that our marine environment is one of the most unique and spectacular marine environments on the globe. I heard those...

Consideration by Estimates Committees(1 speech) I present additional information received by committees relating to the following estimates: Community Affairs Legislation Committee. Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee.

Energy(18 speeches) At the request of Senator Collins, I move: That the Senate: (a) express its disappointment in the Turnbull Government for its chaotic and disunified approach to energy policy; and (b) notes that...

Queensland Teachers' Union; Consideration(1 speech) The document is a response from the General Secretary of the Queensland Teachers' Union, Mr Graham Moloney, to a resolution—a quite bizarre resolution, I must say—that was agreed to...

Commonwealth Ombudsman; Consideration(1 speech) I have spoken to a number of these reports, which are presented by the Commonwealth Ombudsman, with government responses, assessing all of the cases of people who have been in immigration...

National Energy Guarantee; Consideration(1 speech) I have already moved to take note of document No. 25 on today's Notice Paper: National Energy Guarantee—Modelling—Order agreed to on 13 August 2018—Letter to the President of...

Select Committee on Red Tape; Report(1 speech) I take note of the sixth interim report of the Senate Select Committee on Red Tape, Effect of red tape on child care. The Select Committee on Red Tape was established in October 2016 to inquire...

Economics References Committee; Report(2 speeches) I rise to speak to the report of the Economics References Committee's inquiry into the governance and operation of the Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility, which was formally tabled in...

Report No. 1 of 2018-19; Consideration(1 speech) I'll be brief in my comments on this report, document No. 3. I have already spoken to this, so I won't go on at length again. This is the Auditor-General's report into the implementation...

Pakistan: Election(1 speech) Last month I had the great honour of representing Australia as a member of the Commonwealth Observer Group to the Pakistan national election on 25 July. It was my first but certainly will not be...

Tasmania: Roads, Early Learning Matters Week(1 speech) Being a truck driver is one of Australia's most dangerous jobs, and it can be a difficult one too. Among other issues, they face long hours on the road, often with late nights and early starts,...

Energy(1 speech) The legislation to introduce the National Energy Guarantee, the NEG, will be introduced next week but it will not have the support of One Nation. The NEG is a political agreement which integrates...

Democracy(1 speech) Parliamentary democracy is underrated as a safeguard of personal liberty. From the outside, the perception is that parliament is mired in gridlock and inertia. That is a source of frequent...